By Nick Creely
Casey-South Melbourne has moved to a respectable 1-1 record in the Victorian Premier Cricket competition, going down to a powerful Melbourne unit at Casey Fields.
The Swans were always going to be challenged by a Demons outfit bolstered by state player Sam Harper, adding to a side already brimming with talent and experience.
But, as Michael Wallace’s group has shown in the opening rounds of the season, it has plenty of ticker and fought hard despite going down by 61 runs.
Swan opening bowlers Nathan Lambden and Jackson Fry were greeted by Demon opening duo Sam Harper and Blake Thomson, who looked a class above to put together a commanding 82-run opening stand.
The pair looked comfortable and assured, playing the quicks with ease and punishing anything that strayed, before Ruwantha Kellepotha – already in the midst of a massive week after being selected for Victorian Second XI selection – managed to once again turn the tide in just his second game.
With two clever pieces of leg spin bowling, Kellepotha prized out Harper for 44, before spinning through the defences of Thomson for 47 and getting the game back on level pegging.
Kellepotha was outstanding, bowling the right lengths and troubling the star-studded Dees.
Despite a sparkling 64 from Jack Harper and an equally impressive 44 from another Victorian on the rise, Campbell Kellaway, the Swans would have ventured off Casey Fields for the break confident it could chase down 237 for victory.
In his second game since joining the club from Sydney, fellow spinner Luke Shelton was also in great touch, snaring 4/43 and tying down the middle-order with subtle variations and pinpoint accuracy.
As the season wears on, the left-arm tweaker’s quality and experience could become telling.
Despite losing two early wickets in the chase, one of them being the talented Ashley Chandrasinghe, skittled with a beauty from Fergus O’Neill (4/11), the Swans fought hard through skipper Michael Wallace, who compiled a gritty and typically classy 60 from 77 balls.
Emerging teenage batter Harrish Kannan (28) also showed more promise against a high-quality attack, while Kellepotha slapped 28 from 53 balls and showed his worth through the middle.
The Swans were eventually all bowled out for 175 in a tick under 45 overs.
Wallace’s side will be hoping to move to 2-1 with a tricky road trip to take on Footscray this Saturday.
